Use the Ultimate Thanksgiving Checklist

From butter to the big bird itself, here ya go:

butter, milk, sugar, flour, turkey, ready made pie crust, cinnamon, garlic, onion, cheese, green beans, stuffing (bread crumbs, carrots, celery), chicken or vegetable stock, pumpkin pie filling, rolls, yams or sweet potatoes, potatoes, cream, coffee, chips, salsa, dips, Crescent Rolls, breakfast foods (cereal, pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, syrup, margarine), COFFEE, decaf coffee, BOOZE (wine, champagne, harder stuff, mixers), orange juice, cranberry sauce, other dessert (in case you don't want pumpkin dessert), ice cream, appetizers, Chex Mix, whipped cream, salad fixins, rosemary (or other herbs to season your bird), vegetarian alternatives, non-alcoholic beverages.

If you have guests staying you'll need to have extra of things you already have. Here are a few you won't want to forget.

Toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, sheets, pillows, air mattress, tissue, blankets, seating (chairs etc), folding table, silverware, plates, glasses (you'll be surprised how quickly these get dirty. Plastic or other disposable options may be a good buy.), contact solution, phone or device chargers, first aid kit, cotton swabs, toothbrushes/toothpaste.

If they're not helping in the kitchen or watching football, you'll have to keep them entertained. Here are some ideas....

Board games (see my previous post for some suggestions), cards, video games, iPads, current Netflix account, Red Box movies (get those NOW the good ones will get sold out), photo albums to look through, arts and crafts, toys (Barbie, Lego, Transformers...), books (yes, people still read ;), and make sure you have plenty of music! Encourage everyone to take turns plugging their phones or tablets into your sound system. Make sure your internet and cable are working just in case, but actual face-to-face interaction is the best!

One of my fave things to do is have a guest book at all of my events. Have everyone sign a page and write a message about the day. Later you can add photos of the event. It's a cool keepsake to have later. Guests signing will only take a moment, but it's a fun thing to do, even if your guests are family.

Think of things you want to do AFTER Thanksgiving. Here's a list of ideas for your leftovers, and if you have family in town for a few days you'll need to keep them busy. Look for things to do around town. Shopping, movies, Ice Skating, visit Santa, wine tasting... Here are a few links...